WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA) voted today for the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, H.R. 5019, which passed the House by a vote of 246-161. Home Star creates direct incentives for consumers to make their homes more energy efficient, such as up-front rebates for insulation or duct sealing. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Home Depot, and the Sierra Club joined a broad coalition of nearly 500,000 businesses and organizations that supported the bill.

Following passage of HR 5019, Congressman Garamendi said, "The Home Star Act is an example of policy innovation where it is needed most. By providing consumer incentives towards energy efficient homes, this bill will accomplish three crucial goals: a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, a big boost in household incomes, and the creation of American jobs."

Congressman Garamendi added, "Global warming is here and needs to be addressed. The Home Star Act takes a big first step. It does this by rewarding green homes with green money."

In addition to up-front rebates on energy efficient home renovations, the Home Star Act offers $3000 to homeowners with a proven energy use reduction of 20 percent. The Home Star program will save three million families an estimated $200-500 a year on their utility bills. This will total close to ten billion dollars in savings for homeowners over the next decade.

"When consumers take advantage of this program, they will create jobs, lots of jobs, right here in America," Congressman Garamendi said. "This bill will create 170,000 jobs, many of which are in the hard-hit construction sector. Also, more than 90 percent of energy efficiency technologies are made in the United States."

Congressman Garamendi continued "Let’s be clear. President Obama and this Congress inherited an economy in free fall. With the help of good policy, most notably the Recovery Act, the economy has stabilized and is now growing at an impressive clip. Our economy has expanded for three straight quarters and gained 162,000 jobs in March, the largest monthly gain in the last three years. We are not there yet, but our country is on the road to sustained prosperity. The Home Star Act will take us even farther along that road."